Sous vide meat: what it is and how to cook it at home

For a long time, sous vide cooking technology was available exclusively to professional chefs. This culinary technique gained wide popularity only in the 1960s. Today, as special sous vide devices have begun to appear on store shelves, this method has reached ordinary kitchens.

The FoodOboz editorial team talks about this technique, which allows you to cook food tender and juicy (to watch the video, scroll to the end).

What is sous vide?

The sous-vide method came to us from French cuisine, where the term literally means "cooking in a vacuum". The name very accurately describes the cooking procedure: meat, fish, or vegetables are wrapped in a special plastic bag, and if possible, all air is removed from there (ideally, this should be done with a special vacuum). Then the "packaged" products are placed in a vessel with water, where they languish for a long time at a low temperature.

The cooking temperature is very strictly controlled, usually ranging from 55 to 60°C, but higher temperatures can be used for vegetables.

Why bother?

At first glance, the method may seem rather complicated, but chefs and culinary connoisseurs love sous vide for its stable and predictable results. It's all about precise control of the cooking time and temperature, so you get the same delicious result every time.

In addition, this method of cooking does not dry out the food but does not leave it soggy inside, as low temperatures delicately affect its structure. In addition, during sous vide, foods are stewed in their own juices, which makes them flavorful, dense in texture, delicate in taste, and at the same time retains their best flavors.

And thanks to sous vide, you don't need to wash dishes or clean the stove after cooking: just drain the liquid from the container and wipe the appliance if you used it. The most you'll need to do is wash the frying pan if you decide to fry the food further.

The main advantages of the sous vide method are as follows:

• Low temperatures. According to the rules of sous-vide, meat, and fish are cooked at a temperature not exceeding 70°C. This, in turn, turns even the toughest piece into a tender, flavorful steak.
• Uniform impact on the entire surface of the product. This is a 100% guarantee that your dish will be cooked evenly: it will not burn at the edges, remain raw inside, or dry out.
• Versatility. The sous vide method is suitable for cooking meat, fish, vegetables, and fruits. Moreover, even desserts can be prepared using sous-vide technology!
• Benefits. Sous-vide cooking kills harmful microorganisms in the product. At the same time, the product itself does not undergo the harmful process of frying in oil, which at high temperatures begins to release carcinogens. The benefits of sous-vide can be compared to steaming food. However, the taste is much brighter.

How to cook sous vide dishes at home

You can cook sous vide not only in a professional kitchen but also at home. You can do it both with the help of special appliances and in a regular oven.

Modern devices work by combining three key elements: a thermostat, a heating element, and a water tank. Thus, you have:

• a timer
• a large water tank;
• temperature control with an accuracy of 0.5°C;
• even cooking of food.

If you don't have such a device at home, you can simulate low-temperature cooking with a stove. Any large container with water, such as a saucepan or metal bowl, will do.

Before you heat the oven to a low temperature (remember, it ranges from 55 to 70 degrees), you need to make sure that it is able to maintain it. Otherwise, your food will remain soggy.

Experts advise cooking meat at a low temperature in an electric oven with upper and lower heating. A gas oven heats up very quickly, and it is difficult to protect the meat from strong overheating.

Season the meat, fish, or vegetables with salt and pepper, put it in a ziplock bag to remove all the air, or wrap it tightly in cling film. Put in a large saucepan or bowl filled with water (be sure to heat the water to 60 degrees), then put in a 60-degree oven for two hours. The finished product can be fried to an appetizing crisp before serving.